1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cutting tool having at least one cutting edge and a method for supplying a cutting medium to a place where a work is cut by the cutting edge.
2. Discussion of the Background
A face milling cutter, as an example of cutting tools of the type having cutting edges provided on a tool body, has been known as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 3-281114.
As seen from FIG. 16, this face milling cutter 1 has a tool body 2 and a plurality of cutting tips 3 attached to an end of the tool body 2 around its circumference at a predetermined interval. Guide members 4 guide shavings or metal chips generated as a result of a cutting. The guide members 4 are attached to the tool body 2 and each guide member faces the rake surface of the end cutting edge and outer peripheral cutting edge on the respective cutting tip 3. At the same time, a substantially cylindrical member 5 serves as a receiver for receiving the chips and is provided coaxially with the tool body 2. Chip receiving spaces 6 are formed between the inner peripheral surface of the chip receiver 5 and the outer peripheral surface of the tool body 2, and the tool body 2 is rotatable relatively with respect to the chip receiver 5.
In operation of the face milling cutter 1, chips generated by the end cutting edge and outer peripheral edge on each tip 3 are forcibly hurled into the chip receiver 5 via the gap formed between the chip guide member 4 and the rake surfaces of the tip 3. The chips are then urged towards the inner peripheral surface of the chip receiver 5 and expelled through a discharge port 7 so as to be collected in, for example, a collecting box which is not shown.
This arrangement serves to prevent the uncontrolled scattering of the chips, thus, contributing to an improvement in the working environment. Also, it prevents breakage of the cutting tool and damage to a workpiece surface since these problems tend to occur due to jamming of chips between the cutting edges and a workpiece.
The purposes of supplying a cutting oil are lubrication of the rake surface and relief surface of the tip, cooling of the tool and a workpiece, removal of stagnant fine chips, and protection and rust-prevention of the finished surface of a workpiece.
Hitherto, due to the use of a cutting oil in a liquid phase, there have been problems such as impairment of the working environment caused by scattering of the cutting oil, necessity of costly disposal of waste oil and so on.
The cutting oil in a liquid state is supplied inside the chip receiver 5 externally through a hose or the like. This involves a risk that the tips of the cutting tool and the surface of a workpiece are not steadily supplied with the cutting oil since these parts are encased inside the chip receiver 5.